Vitor Belfort
Vitor Belfort is the former UFC light-heavyweight champion and also the former Cage Rage light-heavyweight champion. First Middleweight Title Run He was most recently set for most of 2010 to face middleweight champion Anderson Silva but the fight kept being postponed because Silva and Belfort both kept sustaining injuries. Finally, Belfort decided instead to sign to fight fellow contender Yushin Okami in his official UFC middleweight debut. Then, with number-one contender Chael Sonnen being busted for steroids, the winner of Belfort vs. Okami was suspected to gain the next title shot at Silva. Belfort withdrew soon after to face Silva instead in February 2011 and Nate Marquardt replaced him against Okami. THAT matchup would decide the next title shot against the winner of Belfort vs. Anderson Silva. Silva defeated Belfort via a historic knockout (front kick to the face) in the first round. Belfort next faced Yoshihiro Akiyama, winning via impressive first-round knockout. Belfort was next set to welcome former Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le to the UFC. Belfort was soon injured and replaced against Le by rival Wanderlei Silva. After recovering, Belfort was next rumored to face fellow contender Alan Belcher. Belfort next signed to welcome welterweight contender Anthony Johnson to the middleweight division in his native country of Brazil, surprising many fans. The same day, Vitor was confirmed to be coaching the Brazilian season of The Ultimate Fighter against rival and former Pride middleweight (205 lbs.) champion Wanderlei Silva. Belfort erased any doubt that he would go into the rematch with Silva with momentum as he forced Anthony Johnson to tap out due to a rear-naked choke submission with seconds left in the first round, despite Johnson coming in far over the accepted weight limit. After The Ultimate Fighter reality show had been filmed and mere weeks before the bout with Wanderlei -- in late May 2012 -- Belfort suffered a broken hand and was forced to pull out of the rematch. He was replaced by former UFC middleweight champion and former opponent Rich Franklin. Light-Heavyweight Title Shot Out Of Nowhere After recovering, Belfort was briefly set to face Alan Belcher before stepping in on late notice to replace Dan Henderson against UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones in September 2012. The fight was Belfort's first shot at a title since the loss to Anderson Silva in February 2011. After nearly submitting Jones in the fight's first round with an armbar, Belfort was battered by elbows en route to a fourth round americana submission loss. After the fight there was a lot of mutual respect exchanged and Belfort stated that Jones was "the best fighter in the world." Second Middleweight Title Run: TRTitor Belfort next went back to middleweight, signing to face Michael Bisping in a main event number-one contender fight in his native Brazil. Belfort knocked out Bisping in the second round with a head kick and called out UFC light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones insulting challenger Chael Sonnen in the process. Jones and Sonnen both laughed in Belfort's face. Final Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold called out Belfort for his UFC debut on Fox in April 2013; the fight was made for April 2013 indeed. Belfort knocked out Rockhold in the first round with a highlight reel-worthy spinning wheel kick. Belfort next called out Chris Weidman after Weidman knocked out the UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Instead Belfort signed to fight Strikeforce veteran Tim Kennedy. The fight didn't actually materialize as Belfort never signed his own contract. Belfort also turned down a fight with former UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and another with former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi. Belfort instead next called out Chael Sonnen and was rumored to be lniked to a possible rematch with former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Dan Henderson. The fight was soon confirmed. During the preparation for the Henderson rematch Belfort was also called out by Machida. Belfort knocked out Henderson in just over a minute with his third consecutive high kick finish, becoming the first person to knock out Henderson in the legend's long and storied career. After the fight UFC president Dana White confirmed that Belfort had earned a title shot at the winner of the UFC middleweight title rematch between Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva in December 2013. Weidman won after a tragic injury to Silva and Belfort was confirmed as receiving the title shot against the undefeated champion in May 2014. Post TRTitor Unfortunately, after the Nevada State Athletic Commission banned (T)estosterone ®eplacement (T)herapy in late February 2014, Vitor was forced to pull out of the fight against Weidman that had been set for Las Vegas. Belfort had been controversially -- but legally -- using TRT for over a year and a half at that point. He was replaced against Weidman by fellow former UFC light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida. Belfort released a statement saying that he hadn't pulled out of the fight due to being afraid of Weidman as several media reports had erroneously suggested. He stated that he had pulled out because he was going to be starting the process of ending his dosing of TRT and that he wanted to be able to comply with the commission's wishes and couldn't do that by the time May rolled around. Belfort went on to state that he had been confirmed to be facing the winner of the fight between Machida and Weidman. Instead Belfort stepped in to replace Wanderlei Silva against Chael Sonnen in late May 2014. That fight didn't materialize either, as Sonnen tested positive for a random drug test and subsequently retired. Belfort was pulled from the card as well since the UFC couldn't find an opponent to replace him. Belfort next fought for the UFC middleweight title against Chris Weidman. After surviving an initial flurry from Belfort Weidman took over the bout and finished Belfort via a first round TKO. Belfort next fought Dan Henderson in a rubber match, again defeating Henderson via another headkick and punches TKO in the first round. Belfort then faced former Strikeforce middleweight champion Ronaldo Souza losing via a first round TKO. He next fought former Strikeforce light-heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi losing via a second round TKO after displaying tons of heart and will. After taking a little bit of time off Belfort next signed to fight prospect Kelvin Gastelum. Fights *Randy Couture vs. Vitor Belfort 1 - Both fighters came in undefeated, and the fight was Belfort's first loss. *Vitor Belfort vs. Daijiro Matsui *Vitor Belfort vs. Bobby Southworth - The fight was Bobby Southworth's Pride debut. *Chuck Liddell vs. Vitor Belfort *Tito Ortiz vs. Vitor Belfort *Vitor Belfort vs. Antony Rea *Vitor Belfort vs. Alistair Overeem 2 - The fight was at heavyweight. Alistair Overeem came out to "America, Fuck Yeah" from Team America. *Vitor Belfort vs. Ivan Serati *Vitor Belfort vs. Terry Martin - The fight was Belfort's debut at middleweight, and his Affliction debut as well. The fight was Terry Martin's Affliction debut and his only fight with the promotion. *Vitor Belfort vs. Matt Lindland *Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort - The fight was for the middleweight title with Anderson Silva defending. It was the first time Vitor Belfort had been knocked unconscious. *Vitor Belfort vs. Anthony Johnson - The fight was supposed to be Anthony Johnson's middleweight debut but instead he weighed in far over the middleweight limit and it was at a catchweight. *Vitor Belfort vs. Michael Bisping *Chris Weidman vs. Vitor Belfort - The fight was for the UFC middleweight title with Weidman defending. *Ronaldo Souza vs. Vitor Belfort Category:Middleweight fighters Category:UFC light-heavyweight champions